I'm curious as to what some individuals have to say about this sport. Firstly, is it a sport? Is the vicious beating of an individual something that we should applaud? Is this simply another form of spectacle on par with the Roman Gladiators or is this something else entirely?

Personally, my opinion on the event has changed to the point where I feel that it demonstrates how far our cultural values have fallen. No longer do we simply value great minds, however, we value muscles, brawn, brutality, strength and blood. Possibly, this can explain why so few read books.

i honestly think the main reason that MMA has taken the front seat to boxing is that boxing no longer has any big tickets to sell since lewis and holyfield both retired.

It's great that these MMA dudes have all this training, but you barely see them put it to work. I'm gonna sound like an oldman, but i remember watching the very first UFCs and a lot of it was based on skills and wit. what i've seen lately, doesn't revolve around that. It's brawling.

I think everything in society now is about extremes. Everything from sports to reality television. How far can the envelope be pushed?

The same goes for MMA. I for one enjoy watching the sport. I find it far more entertaining than boxing. Boxing I feel is almost like WWE wrestling in that the outcomes seem pretty pre-determined now-a-days.

If the people that are participating in the sport are willing and accepting of the risks, then I see nothing wrong with it. The only thing that I might be concerned with especially if I had children of my own, it that MMA is being televised more and more each year and being televised during primetime hours. Definitely not something you want your 6 or 7 year old to be watching only to find out they've been practicing on their friends during recess.

I love the dedication and training that it takes to perform at that level. It is FAR less violent that boxing although it looks worse. There is not nearly as many punches to the head in MMA.

Fights almost always end up on the ground which turns it into a game of chess with one fighter or the trying to plan a move 3 steps ahead. The Gracies out of Brazil were the best at this with their Ju-Jitsu. Have a fighter on top feel comfortable then bam, arm bar, or bam, ankle/leg lock.

I really feel that MMA doesnt get the love it deserves.

Football and hockey is just as violent if you will. Hockey players swinging sticks at peoples heads and in football you have 300 pound men tackling you around you kidneys while you are looking up at a ball.

Like it or not MMA is infact a safe sport with doctors ringside and some very well trained refs who will stop any fight as soon as they feel a fighter has lost his defenses.

The only thing that I might be concerned with especially if I had children of my own, it that MMA is being televised more and more each year and being televised during primetime hours. Definitely not something you want your 6 or 7 year old to be watching only to find out they've been practicing on their friends during recess.

If the people that are participating in the sport are willing and accepting of the risks, then I see nothing wrong with it.

you'll find people willing to fight to the death. i think that there's something wrong with that, especially if it's televised.

my biggest problem with the whole MMA scene is that it's not an art, it's a fighting style. now you have all these idiots learning how to fight instead of learning the balance that martial arts is supposed to teach you.

My biggest gripe with it is that you have an individual such as a Kimbo Slice, who was if I remember correctly, simply a street fighter and has been jailed numerous times, basically glorified and seen as the next big thing.

And like has been said, you're losing what martial arts is all about; instead now it's become quite the opposite of the original teachings.

you'll find people willing to fight to the death. i think that there's something wrong with that, especially if it's televised.

my biggest problem with the whole MMA scene is that it's not an art, it's a fighting style. now you have all these idiots learning how to fight instead of learning the balance that martial arts is supposed to teach you.

Disagree with that!

You watch George St. Pierre or a Royce/Henzo Gracie fight and you'll see the art. It is a very tactical sport. Have to feel out you opponent and set him up for your own big move.

And all the fighters alway show very good sportsmanship and class after every fight. There is respect for one another in the business.

And these fighters have been training for years night and day, it is their life not just some idiot learning how to fight.

Its great to see that someone who has dedicated their life to this training be able to get paid for it.

i just don't like watching dudes beat on each other. this is one of the big reasons i stopped watching hockey. i just can't see the interest in watching a dude punch another dude in the head or break an arm or whatever. i understand that there's skill, focus, training and competition involved, i just don't derive any fun in watching dudes bash each other around.

My biggest gripe with it is that you have an individual such as a Kimbo Slice, who was if I remember correctly, simply a street fighter and has been jailed numerous times, basically glorified and seen as the next big thing.

And like has been said, you're losing what martial arts is all about; instead now it's become quite the opposite of the original teachings.

No, Kimba was a street fighter when he was 12-14. He had a walkon tryout with the miami Dolphins and was the last player cut from the team 4 years ago(well 4or5years ago) He was employed with Reality Kings as a bodygaurd for the female talent and then they branched him out into the youtube legend he became. Kimbo is all punching power, he is not a good MMA fighter, yet. He has been training with Bas Routen.(sp)

i just don't like watching dudes beat on each other. this is one of the big reasons i stopped watching hockey. i just can't see the interest in watching a dude punch another dude in the head or break an arm or whatever. i understand that there's skill, focus, training and competition involved, i just don't derive any fun in watching dudes bash each other around.

Thats all fine and dandy. No disrespect to you for your opinion.

I just hope that you can appreciate that just because someone like MMA doesn't neccissarily mean that you are A redneck prone to violence.

It's sedetative pablum for emotionally underdeveloped psyche's and insecurity afficianados. Not only that, the sport itself is wrought with a silly Homo erotica seen only in Wrestling and Football.

I mean honestly.

Not violent?
Art?

Violent art, what the fuck is this, AGO for the Macabre????

Bleh.

MMA is fucking barbaric stupidity, shit like that helps keep the sheep in line.

I watch every GSP fight.

I am a massive hipocrite

I was ready to really start to bitch till I got to that part and instead I am laughing my ass off!

Wanted to add that Japanese culture is considered on of the most intelligent and respectful societies on the planet yet they embrace the Sumo, K1 and MMA styled cultures with open arms to the point that they shower the participants with gifts and cash. It obviously does not make them a lesser society that NA because they respect and appreciate such a barbaric and violent sport of people beating each other to death.

Im not going to enter this discussion but I dont like the way people respect japanese culture. It has become a fad. They dont have any respect for the individual, they are machist, and have some serious identity problems.
Much like us.